Magneto distributor



Sept. 1, 1925. 1,552,187 F. w. ANDREW MAGNETO DI STRIBUTOR 7 Original Filed Oct. :5, 1921 Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

FREDERICK W. ANDREW, 0F GLEN HEAD, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EISEMANN MAGNETO CORPORATION, OF BROOKLYN, NE'W YORK, .45. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MAGNETO DISTRIBUTOR.

Original application filed October 3, 1921, Serial No. 504,934. Divided and this application filed April 10, 1924. Serial No. 705,463.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK AN- DREW, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Glen Head, Long Island. county of Nassau, and State of New York. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Magneto Distributors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ignitionmagnetos, and its object is to provide new and useful distributor mechanism, whichis readily installed and removed, and which embodies improved features of construction, as will subsequently appear. In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 shows the distributor end of a magneto equipped with my invention, certain parts being shown in cross-section for clearness;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the magneto, with the distributor block removed and with the distributor disk shown in section approximately on line 2-2 of Fig. 1

3 is an inside face view of the distributor block;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section approximately on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a face View of the distributor disk mounted on the armature shaft of the magneto;

. Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the metallic contact member embedded in the distributor disk of Fig. 5;

'Fig. 7 is an enlarged View of the screw for fastening the cable or conductor in the distributor block; and v Fig. 8 is an end view of the armature shaft to show the shoulder or cutaway portion thereof.

For the sake of simplicity and conven ience, I have assumed that the distributor mechanism shown in the drawings is applied to an ignition magneto for a two-cylinder internal combustion engine. I want it understood. however, that my invention is applicable to a magneto for single and multi-cylinder engines generally, and especially for magnetos which can be chanced for use on engines having different number of cylinders.

The magneto M represents any suitable construction of ignitionmagneto. having an armature mounted to rotate or oscillate between the poles of the magnet. The distributor end 1 of the armature shaft is of nsulating material and has embedded there- 111 a conductor 2 which terminates in a button 8. As shown in Fig. 1, this button is practically flush with the outer end of the armature shaft. The projecting end of this shaft has a cutaway section to form a shoulder 4 (see Fig. 8), for a purpose that will presently become clear.

On the projecting end of the insulated armature shaft 1 is mounted a distributor disk 5. This disk, which is of hard rubber or other insulating material, has an opening 6 formed with a shoulder 7. When the disk 5 is inserted on the shaft 1, the shoulder 7 fits against the correspondingly arranged shoulder 4 on the shaft, whereby the disk 5 is locked to the armature shaft so as to rotate therewith, atthe same time being free to be removed. The distributor disk 5 has embedded therein a segmental or arc-shaped contact 8, which has an extension 9 terminating in a contact button 10. The contact 8 is practically flush with the outer face of the disk. When the distributor disk is in place on the magneto shaft, the button 10 is in firm contact with the button 3 of the magneto shaft, as shown in Fig. 1.

A distributor block, indicated as a whole by D, is firmly mounted on the end plate 11 of the magneto, and is held in position by a spring arm 12 pivoted on a stud 13. The block D is of suitable insulating material and is formed with a chamber 14, into which projects a pair of contacts or brushes 15, usually of carbon. These brushes are each slidably mounted in a hollow metal plug 16 embedded in the insulating block. A light spring 17 presses each brush outwardly against the face of disk 5 and therefore against the rotary segmental contact 8. The reason why two collector brushes 15 are shown is because, as previously stated, it has been assumed that the magneto is for a two-cylinder engine.

A cable or conductor 18, encasedin suitable insulation 19, is electrically connected to each metal plug 16. The cables pass each through an opening 20 in the distributor block I) and the frayed ends 21 of the wires which constitute the cable are pushed tight against the metal plug 17. Each cable leads to the insulated terminal of a spark plug. I provide very simple and etlicient means for securely fastening the cables in the insulator block, and yet permitting easy removal thereof when necessary. This ieans comprises a set screw having a pointed end 22, which enters the insulation 1!) surrounding the high-tension cable It will be noticed that the screwQEl pierces the insulation of the cable an angle in a direction to oppose aforce tending to pull the cable out of its socket. will also be seen that tightening of the screw tends to push the inner end of the cable against the metal plug 16. The screw may be entirely concealed in the opening 2 3 in the insulator block, as shown in Fi J The screw 22 is not a ciu'reut-carry and its sole function is to hold the h 'h--ten sion cable in electrical Contact witl plug 16. For this reason the scr may be made of metal or of insulating uiaterial. I prefer to make the screw 22 of fiber or other hard insulating material suitable for that purpose. This prevents the dancer of a possible short-circuit between th hightension circuit and the grounded parts through moisture. As seen in Fig. 4-, the screwdiole 23 has an enlargement which. forms an annular flange or shoulder adapted to act as a stop for the head of the screw. thereby positively limiting the i ward movement of the screw.

The distributor block D is provided with acircular flange or shoulder 24- adapted to fit against a corresponding flange or shoulder 25 on the end plate 11, whereby the distributor block is readily centered on the end plate. If desired, the distributor block may also be provided with. a lug 26 arranged to enter a notch or recess $17 in the end plate 11, when the distributor blocl: is properly positioned on the n'iagneto. The lug 26 and notch 27 thus insure a correct positioning of the distributor block on the magneto.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the distributor block D and dislr 5 are readily attached in proper position on the magneto and as easily removed the-1: "om. This makes it a very simple matter to change the magneto from one number of cylinders to a different number of cylinders, thereby adapting the magneto for use on singlecylinder engines as well as on multi-cylinder engines.

Vvhile I have herein shown and described a specific construction, l do not intend to be limited to the details set forth, It is obvious that changes and modifications may be resorted to and yet be within the scope of -my invention as defined in the appended claims. 7

This application is a division of my copending parent application Serial Number 504,934, filed October 3, 1921. The tiling of the present application is due to a liual repiirement of division in the parent case.

l l hat I claim as my invention is:

1. its a new article of manutacture use in ignition magnetos, a (llSlIlllJUt-i lsl: of insulating material having a hole or reccss extending to receive one end of a magneto sh; and a contact member embedded in said dial; so as to be substantially tlush with the other of said dislz, said contact member having an extension which terminates in said hole or recess.

2, As a new article of u use in ignition magnetos nistiiliutor dish of insulating material h r a non-circular hole or recess ertteu a Jally from one face thereof to receive one end of a magneto soaft. and a scgiucn or arc-shaped coir out-ting strip embed-1i l said dist: so as to be substantially tlush with the other face of said disk, said strip having an integral extension which terminates in a contact button in said hole or recess.

3. ln an ignition magneto, a rotatable armature mounted in, the ma 'nelo frame, an insulated shaft projecting -.n one end of said frame, a hii r-tension conduct-or emrially from one face thereof bedded in saio shart and ter contact at the outer end of a combination with an insulated dish having a hole or recess adapt snugly over the projecting part of said insulated shaft so as to rotate therewith. said disl: having a metallic member arranged to engage said contact when the disk is in operative position on the shaft;

4-. In an ignition magneto, a rotatable armature mounted in the magneto frame, an insulated shaft projecting from one end of said frame. a high-tension conductor embedded in said she t and term nating in a contact at the outer end of said shaft, in combination with an insulated distributor dish having a hole or recess adapted to fit snugly over the projectingpart of said insu ated shaft. said dist; and shaft being provided w th cooperating means which lock the dislr g ainst rotary movement on the shaft but permit the disk to be readily slid on and oil the shaft. said disk having a metallic member arranged to engage said contact when the disk is in operative position on the shaft.

5. In a. distributor block for use in ignition magnetos, an insulated body having a contact member embedded therein, an insulated cable or conductor passing through an opening in said body into electrical contact with said member. said body having a flanged screw-hole comiecting with said cable opening, and a flanged pointed screw of insulating material secured in said hole in such position that the pointed end thereof penetrates said cable insulation and thereby locks the same against displacement, the flange on said screw cooperating with the flange in the screw-hole to form a positive stop for the inward movement of the screw.

6. In a distributor block for use in ignition magnetos, an insulated body having a contact member embedded therein, an insulated cable or conductor passing through an opening in said body into electrical contact with said member, said body having a screwhole on the outside connecting with said cable opening at an angle thereto in a direction toward said member, and a pointed screw of insulating material secured in said hole in such position that the pointed end thereof penetrates said cable insulation and thereby locks the same against displacement, the inclination of said screw relatively to said cable being such that the screw resists an outward pull on the cable and tends to hold the cable against said contact.

7. In a distributor block for use in igni tion magnetos, an insulated body having a contact member embedded therein, an insulated cable or conductor passing through an opening in said body into electrical contact with said member, said body having a screw-hole on the outside connecting with said cable opening, and a pointed screw of insulating material secured in said hole in such position that the pointed end thereof penetrates said cable insulation and thereby locks the same against displacement.

8. In an ignition magneto, an end plate provided on its face with a circular shoulder having a notch or recess therein, a distributor block having on its face an annular flange arranged to engage with said shoulder to center said block on the magneto, a lug on said block projecting from said annular flange and arranged to enter said recess for locking said block against rotary movement on the end plate, and releasable means for holding said block pressed against said end plate.

9. In an ignition magneto, a rotatable armature mounted in the magneto frame, an insulated shaft projecting from one end of said frame, a high-tension conductor embedded in said shaft and terminating in a contact at the outer end of said shaft, in combination with an insulated distributor disk having a hole or recess adapted to fit snugly over the projecting part of said insulated shaft so as to rotate therewith, said disk having a metallic member arranged to engage said contact when the disk is in operative position on the shaft, and a distributor block removably mounted over said disk and having contacts arranged to be engaged by said metallic member.

FREDERICK W. ANDREW. 

